Biological nanoparticles carrying the Hmda-7 gene are effective in inhibiting pancreatic cancer in vitro and in vivo

• Published in: PloS one 2017-10, Vol.12 (10), p.e0185507-e0185507
• Main Authors: Zhu, Qingyun, Pan, Xinting, Sun, Yunbo, Wang, Zhengbin, Liu, Fuguo, Li, Aiqin, Zhao, Zhihui, Wang, Yunlong, Li, Kun, Mi, Liangyu
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Angiogenesis; Animal models; Animal tissues; Animals; Anticancer properties; Apoptosis; Apoptosis - drug effects; Authorship; Biological effects; Biology and life sciences; Biotechnology; Bovine serum albumin; Cancer; Care and treatment; Cell growth; Cell Line, Tumor; Cell proliferation; Cell Proliferation - drug effects; Cytometry; Deoxyribonucleic acid; Digestive system; DNA; Drug delivery systems; Engineering and Technology; Gene expression; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; Gene therapy; Humans; Immunohistochemistry; Inhibition; Interleukins - genetics; Laboratories; Medicine and Health Sciences; Mice; Mice, Nude; Mortality; Nanoparticles; Nanoparticles - administration & dosage; Nanoparticles - therapeutic use; Nanotechnology; Pancreatic cancer; Pancreatic Neoplasms - genetics; Pancreatic Neoplasms - pathology; Pancreatic Neoplasms - therapy; Recombination; Research and analysis methods; Serum albumin; Transfection; Vascular endothelial growth factor; Xenografts
• ISSN: 1932-6203; 1932-6203
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0185507

Pancreatic cancer is one of the most common malignancies of the digestive system, and remains a clinical challenge. This study aimed to assess the effects of bovine serum albumin (BSA) nanoparticles carrying the hMDA-7 gene (BSA-NP-hMDA-7) in the treatment of pancreatic cancer. BSA-NP-hMDA-7 was generated by nanotechnology and gene recombination technology. A total of 5 BXPC-3 or PANC-1 pancreatic cancer cell groups were examined, including Control, BSA-NPs, Empty vector, hMDA-7 plasmid, and hMDA-7 BSA-NPs groups, respectively. Proliferation and apoptosis of cultured cells were assessed by the MTT method and flow-cytometry, respectively. In addition, pancreatic cancer models were established with both cell lines in nude mice, and the expression profiles of hMDA-7 and VEGF in cancer tissues were measured by Western blot and immunohistochemistry. BSA-NP-hMDA-7 nanoparticles were successfully generated, and significantly inhibited the proliferation of BXPC-3 and PANC-1 cells; in addition, apoptosis rates were higher in both cell lines after treatment with BSA-NP-hMDA-7 (P